The demon and the princess
by Mudcat
Summary: Based on a webcomic and used with permission. Setsuna sets out to save Konoka, but is too late.
1. Ch 1: That not in the script!

[The Demon & the Princess]

Negima and all related characters was created by Akamatsu-Sensei and owned by their copyright holders, and the original webcomic was made by Z-bread (the webcomic can be found on Deviantart I'll be sure to post a link as as possible). I own nothing in this fanfiction except whatever original characters that are in it. I've also made no money in the making of this fic, so please don't sue me. Please enjoy the story.

[This wasn't in the script!]

It was early in the evening, and the sun was setting over head as Setsuna walked through Mahora Academy. The short statured swordwoman was not dressed in the Mohara middle school uniform, as was usual for her or even her hakama that she practiced her sword arts in. Instead she wore a blue shirt that had a bow at the front that was white, a tan pair of shorts that came up just above the knees and in her hair was a white bow that was tied to the base of her pony tail. The outfit had been a gift to her from her precious friend, Konoka.

As the street lamps flickered on over head, Setsuna couldn't help but fidget slightly. She was uncomfortible in her curent state of dress and the way that people were staring at her as she pased on by. She felt doubly exposed because Setsuna didn't have her sword with her. She had to remember that she was there, wearing those clothes, because Konoka wanted her there and there was little- if anything- that Setsuna would deny her.

It had all started earlier that day. Classes had just let out the for day and school had managed to go on without more than the usual amount of chaos inherent for it. Setsuna gathered up her school materials and deposited them in her bag. With Yuunagi, her sword and near constant companion, Setsuna began making her way to Konoka, who was already leaving the class room without waiting for Setsuna like she normally would. However she was intercepted by Asuna, Konoka's room mate and closest friend appart from Setsuna.

"I'm sorry Setsuna-san but Konoka said she has to take care of something and asked me to give you this note." the red head girl explained, grining. Taking the note, Setsuna bowed and thanked her. She than unfolded and read it.

_'Dear Secchan! I'll be waiting for you at the World Tree Stage, please be there at five. Signed, Konoka... P.S. Wear casual clothes or else!'_

Setsuna, sighed, bringing herself back to her present. 'I wonder why Konochan didn't wait for me?' Setsuna wondered, slightly hurt about that and the fact that Konoka neglected to tell her about what she was doing or why she wanted Setsuna to met her at the stage. Though she felt fairly certain that Konoka had a good reason, and she knew that she would forgive her preatty much anything.

As she neared the World Tree Stage she heard a scream echoing in the distance. With a chill running down her spine, Setsuna ran past a number of signs that were near the large steps that lead up the amplitheatre. At the top she looked down the amplitheatre onto the World tree stage and what she saw there made her blood run cold. The stage was a large stucture, made to resemble something not unlike a shell. It was large enough that it was used for school dances, tournaments, contests, concerts and even the odd open aired play, though as large as it was it was still dominated by the World Tree.

What was there, however, were demons. There were lots of them, most were of the large variety, most were heavily armed and they were all surrounding Konoka.

The healer had her magic artifact out, the paper fans Flabellum Euri and Flabellum Australe, and so far was managing to hold off the demons using the iron fan technique that Evangaline had been teaching her. However Konoka was still no where profecient enough to keep such a large number off for much longer and she was already flaging.

She leapt, using shundo to close the gap quickly before it was too late, shouting as she did. "Oujou-sama!"

Had she been paying attention before leaping into the fray, Setsuna would perhaps have realized that there was something was fishy about the entire situation. For one thing the demons, as strong and well armed as they all seemed, were in fact third raters if even that without a single high class demon to direct them. They ought not have pierced the school barriers, much less gotten so far into the academy even with their numbers.

And for another thing had Setsuna gotten a closer look at the girl being attacked she wouldve known right away that they were not really Konoka. The girl was too tall and androgenous looking, her face wasn't wide enough, her eyes too large and her hair far too long and flowing. A closer look wouldv'e told her that it was one of Haruna's gollems.

However for Setsuna the only thing that was important was that Konoka was in danger and needed her. She charged in, undaunted by the fact she was unarmed and there were now a number of armed demons bearing down on her as well. The Shinmei Ryu, in fact, did not require the use of a weapon. Lounging, she struck two demons aside, kicked a few more high into the air, than grapled the remaining demon by the head and tosed it over her shoulder. It rotated through the air a few times before crashing into a clump of demons that was closest to Konoka, sending them all into the ground in a heap.

"Ojou-sama, I'm coming!" she shouted as she closed the remaining distance, her right arm strtetched to reach her precious friend.

The Konoka gollem perked up at the her shouts. "Set-chan," the golem uttered softly, distracted for but a moment. The moment was enough for one of the more human sized demons to strike. It impaled her in the back with its broadsword, the tip protruding from her stomach. Konoka's fans cluttered noisly to the ground as the demon withdrew its sword and than with a single stroke beheaded the gollem, just as Setsuna was about to arrive.

Setsuna watch helplessly as Konoka's head went flying through the air as her body fell over with a loud thud. "O-oujo-sama..." Setsuna said softly, tears begining to form in her eyes. She fell to her knees as she began to weep...

.....

...Unobserved by Setsuna, Evangaline was watching the brawl with her trademark evil smirk. She wasn't even well⁯den as she was right in the amplitheatre. Standingbesid her was Haruna, the mangaka. "This wasn't in the script Eva-chan!" she complained, crying as her Golems got riped into by Setsuna....

[End first chapter]

{Author's Notes}

Yes, I know that this version has differences from the webcomic from which this fanfic is based on. I took a few artistic liberties in order for it to make more sense from a character stand point (Setsuna meeting Konoka so far away from the academy unarmed? Not very likely).

Shinmei Ryu Unarmed style: I'm preatty sure there's a seperate name for this... however its existance is supported by Love Hina (towards the end of its run) and by Negima (in the tournament arc) and the root of it seems to be Aikido. Its not as effective as the armed version of the Shinmei Ryu, leaving the person unable to use most of the demon dispelling strikes.

Shundo: sorta instant movement thing, where the person concentrates their ki or magic at their feet and leap, strategic use of it allows the user to get behind their opponent, also good for closing in on opponents using ranged weapons and magic. Generally a short to mid range movement. A good user of it can even leave after images behind, potentially confusing less observent foes.

Iron Fan: A martial arts style that Evangaline mastered about a hundred years ago upon first ariving in Japan. Her first (and so far only) use of it was on Setsuna during the tournament arc.

Haruna's golem: Because of her artifact, Haruna can transform whatever she draws into real beings. Haruna is a mangka with Shoujo (think Clamp) bent, so its usually not to hard to tell the difference to tell one of gollems appart from the real deal... how her gollems wind up coloured is beyond me.


	2. Ch 2: The demon awakens

[The Demon and the Princess]

Negima and all related characters was created by Akamatsu-Sensei and owned by their copyright holders, and the original webcomic was made by Z-bread (the webcomic can be found on Deviantart I'll be sure to post a link as as possible). I own nothing in this fanfiction except whatever original characters that are in it. I've also made no money in the making of this fic, so please don't sue me. Please enjoy the story.

[The Demon Awakens]

"Eva-chan, this wasn't in the script!" Haruna complained, crying as Setsuna leapt into the fray and began tearing into her demon golems. The small, child like vampire merely gave her a dead pan look before replying, "Oh relax. Your script was too boring, so I thought I'd liven it up some."

The vampire and the mangaka was currently in the amplitheatre, unobserved by Setsuna. "Eva-san!" called a familliar sounding third voice. It was the real Konoka, and had Setsuna known that she was safe and sound she wouldv'e cried tears of joy. "Ah, here comes the star," Evangaline said, smirking as the obviously aggitated healer ran up to them. "You have to put a stop to the rehearsal!" Konoka pleaded to Evangaline.

"Are you kidding? Pulling off Illusions of this scale are always pain in the ass," Evangline replied, lecturing Konoka. "All those demons took forever to draw..." Haruna added, weaping in frusration. Though, she was obviously not really paying attention to the conversation. But Konoka would not be placiated so easilly, "B-but Set-chan is down there!"

It was perhaps pointless to mention that, but she felt she had to. "Oh, that reminds me," Haruna said, getting out of her funk, "Did Setsuna agree to be in the play?"

"That's what I'm trying to tell you! I completely forgot to mention it to her, she thinks its real!"

Before she could go any further, Konoka and the others were nearly knocked off their feet by an explosion of youkai from the World Tree Stage. When the three girls look back on to the stage they could see what had caused it. It was Setsuna... only.... only... only Setsuna looked different now. Haruna was taken aback by the transformation and she edged back ward in fear. Evangaline was obviously on edge because of what was happening on the World Tree Stage. Konoka was affraid, not becaause of but for her cherished friend.

"Set-chan..." Konoka said, steping forward. But Evangaline put a surprissingly gentle hand on her arm to stop her. "You don't want to do that. She's been consumed by her demon side," Evangaline provided helpfully. That was not enough for Konoka, so she tried to break away. The small Vampire girl tightened her grip stoping Konoka without much effort. "Don't be a fool. Her demon blood has consumed her, the longer she's like that the more she loses herself. I doubt if she'd even reconize you, and for that reason if you went down there she'd likely attack you. She'd kill you without even realizing it... do you really want to put her through that?"

Now that Setsua's demon blood had completely awakened she no longer looked quite the same what with her skin being darker than what it usually was and she had a far stronger and fiercer aura about her. Her wings spread out from her back, the span of which was easily twice as long as she was tall. She glared at the demons, tears in her pitiless black eyes, using a glance that cut deeper than even her sword ever could. "Ojou-sama," she said tensing to strike, her raven black hair drifting in the breeze now completely free from her typical ponytail.

Their was a moment of tense silence amongst the demons for just a moment, but that moment might have very well been an eternity. "He did it," the demon who killed the Konoka double offered weekly, pointing to another demon nearby at random. At that, Setsuna struck, faster than the demons could perceive and with savagery inheriant to class one demons. Such was her rage and so thoroughly was she consumed by her demon blood that she completely forgone the Shinmei Ryu arts that she had spent a better part of a life time training in.

So savegely and thoroughly she tore into the demon horde, those amongst them began droping their weapons and tried to flee. They did not make it far, and the ones that decided to make a stand did not live for long. She was seemingly everywhere at once, beating into them until her fists became bloody. And still she did not relent.

So severe was the brawl that the girls watching became more and more shocked, except for Evangiline, whose smirk became more pronouced as she watched. 'If only she could control her demon blood like that Kotaro brat does... she'd be up there with the likes of the thousand master,' she mused to herself, planing on including that aspect in her next training session with the Shinmei Ryu warrior.

So distracted was Evangeline that she lost her grip on Konoka, who began moving toward her beloved friend again. "Set-chan..." she said softly.

Haruna tried to stop her from leaving, she was concerned about Konoka. Evangaline shoke her head, overiding the mangka. "No, its alright, she's out of steam anyhow I think." And indeed Setsuna was; as she had collapsed to her knees her skin tone began returning to normal and the horns that had sprouted began to fade away. By the time Konoka had reached her even those have faded away, leaving a hand full of feathers to blow away in the wind. Kneeling beside Setsuna, Konoka was releived to see that she was alright.

Embracing the collapsed warrior, Konoka began crying. "Set-chan its alright.... Set-chan..." But the girl was insenate.

"I-is she alright?" Haruna asked, torn between her concern for her classmate and fear of her. Evangaline noded, "She'll be fine, she's just exhausted is all." She smirked again, giving a dismisived little grunt for good measure. "By the way, there doesn't seem to be much left of your 'demon army' does there?"

"Gah! B-b-but they took so long to draw!" Haruna sobed, realizing she'd have to draw it all over again for the next rehearshal if the play was to go on.

.....

[End of chapter two]

{author's notes]

Setsuna's hair and eyes: It was noted in the Tournament arc of the manga that Setsuna's hair is already dyed and that she wears color contacts anyhow, so it doesn't make much sense that they'd change color when her demon blood awakens than change back when it subsides, which is why I changed it.

Kotaru: Somehow he has gotten ignored by the anime (all except the Ala Alba ova) as well as 90% of all fanfics. However he's a hanyo like Setsuna is and seems to be able to control his demon blood, which is how he is able to transform (though his ablity to do so was sealed away for a time because of his actions in the Field Trip arc).


	3. Ch 3: Life is too short to be a coward

[The Demon and the Princess]

Negima and all related characters was created by Akamatsu-Sensei and owned by their copyright holders, and the original webcomic was made by Z-bread (the webcomic can be found on Deviantart I'll be sure to post a link as as possible). I own nothing in this fanfiction except whatever original characters that are in it. I've also made no money in the making of this fic, so please don't sue me. Please enjoy the story.

[Life is too Short to be a Coward]

It had taken a little over an hour for Evangaline to summon Chachamaru and get the unconcious swordswoman to her private cabin and into Castle Leben Schuld where the girl could rest peacefully. Two days had passed since then in that magical place and in all that time Konoka had scarcely left Setsuna's side. 'Oh Setsuna,' she thought to herself, 'if only I had told you about the play... this is all my fault!'

She felt incredibly guilty about Setsuna's current predictiment, and so she ate and slept very little. She didn't even notice Evangaline's presence whenever she occasionally cam by to check up on the unconcious girl in one of her rare moments of concern. Though she was not nerely as woried as Konoka was, she was certain that Setsuna was merely exhausted from the strain the transformation. Though to be honest she had not expected for her to be unconcious for as long as she already had, it told her just how powerful Setsuna's Demon blood really was...

It would take her some effort to be able to control it but if she did, even Evangaline would have a hard time contending with Setsuna's strength.

On the morning of the third day when Evangaline checked on Setsuna she found Konoka sound asleep with her head rest resting on Setsuna's arm and one of her own arms stretched over the swordwoman's body. That wasn't what caught the dimunitive vampire's attention, what did was that Setsuna's had grasped Konoka's outstretched hand in her sleep. Evanganline took that as a good sign that Setsuna was close to fully recovered.

"Chacahmaru," Evangaline called to her nearby servent, pointing towards Konoka. "Take her out of here and don't bring her back till I call for her, I need to have a word with our little demon girl alone."

"Yes mistress," Chachamaru replied efficiently, prying Konoka away and carying her out so easily and gentally that the healer didn't even stir in her sleep. After the gynoid left with her burden, Evangaline stood just outside the door frame to wait for Setsuna to awaken. She had barely waited half an hour before she heard stiring from within the room, the girl was waking up...

When Setsuna woke up she was confused, she could've sworn that Konoka's presence had been nearby. "Oujosama?" she said softly... and then she remembered. With heart breaking clarity she rembered Konoka falling to the ground, her head flying through the air. "O-oujosama..." she said again, her voice breaking as tears began to form in her eyes. Again she saw Konoka in her memories. Happy, smilling, laughing... Setsuna knew that a wholly unique light had left from her life, perhaps for good. Tears spilling freely down her cheeks now, Setsuna recalled easilly to mind another image of Konoka, this time as a young girl when Setsuna had made that fateful promise to grow stronger and to protect her no matter what.

"Konochan!" Setsuna cried out, now sobing. She had failed...

Evangaline stood out in the corridor, listening as Setsuna sobed on the bed. Her cries echoed within a part of Evangaline's own soul that she liked to pretend was long buried but in reality was much closer to the surface than she cared to admit. And she recalled her own painful past. She recalled waking up that fateful day oh so long ago, after having killed the man who took her in as a daughter without meaning to or realizing it. She recalled one of her father's fiercly loyal servents who gave his life to protect her from a mob. She recalled the woman who had hid her from the witch hunters and paid dearly for it. She recalled other faces throughtout the centuries who showed her compassion and died for it. She even recalled the day she had been told that Nagi Springfield was dead...

As Setsuna continued to cry, Evangaline knew all to well how she felt.

'You think you're so strong,' she mentally chided herself. 'You go through so much pain and misery and still every once in awhile some mortal slips pass your defences.'

After recomposing herself, Evangaline entered the room. She went wholly unnoticed by Setsuna, who was no longer sobing. Standing be side the bed, Evangaline cleared her throat. Setsuna didn't jump to attention, like she normally would anytime she was surprised, but she did at least look up from her lap and looked Evangaline in the face. "Are you quite done yet?"

"E-evangaline-san?"

"I Hope you feel better now." Evangaline smirked, knowing full well that the girl was not feeling better at all. Setsuna looked away, hanging her head in shame, "Konochan, I couldn't... I couldn't protect her."

Setsuna was not entirely expecting it when sudenly Evangaline beat her in the back of the head. She retreated as far away as the bed allowed her to from the sudenly pissed off vampire and stared at her in shock. "'I could'nt protect her,' is that all you have to say?!" shouted the irate vampire. "You were so obviously in love with her even the Baka Rangers knew it and all you regret is 'I couldn't protect her'!?"

Setsuna looked not unlike a fish out of water at that moment, temporarily speachless. Evangaline didn't wait for her to reply, "You brats make me so angry! You don't know what it is you want until its too late and than you spend the rest of your life regretting not taking action! Don't you know that your life is to short to be a coward?!"

Evangaline let her rant sink in and several minutes latter began anew. "If ever you should see anything you want you should go for it, and even should you fail at least than you won't have any regrets."

Setsuna thought on that for a while, and Evangaline left her to it. The swordswoman went back to any number of times that she couldv'e told Konoka of her feelings but held back. 'A life without regrets,' she thought to herself. 'But its allready too late for me, and the worst part is... the worst part is I've been so dishonest with myself.'

All those times, all those perfect moments she had been so heart-breakingly close to Konoka and all she had to do was reach out and take her into her own arms and say those three words and Setsuna never did. To protect Konoka, had been her mantra but in reality it had been to protect herself. 'I've been such a coward,' Setsuna thought, bowing her head in complete shame. And she sillently vowed that if by some miracle that if she were to met Konoka ever again she would take the chance.

In this distracted state she never noticed another presence in the room until she was patted on the head. Startled Setsuna looked up to find herself looking into the face of an angel... her angel. It was Konoka, smilling that bright smile of hers and and with the morning sun streeming in from the hallway behind her Setsuna could perhaps be forgiven for mistaking her for an angel.

"Setchan, I'm glad you're allright," Konoka said softly, still smilling though her eyes were glistening.

Setsuna raised her hands to grasp the one on her head, not beleiving her eyes. "K-konochan?" she asked, hardly daring to beleive. The healer nodded, still smilling. "Konochan! You're alive!" she shouted, embracing her tightly. Patting Setsuna on the head softly, Konoka said "Come on, lets get you cleaned up and changed."

Setsuna, who was in happy mix of bliss and shock, didn't resist as Konoka draged her to the hotsprings that were a part of Evangaline's castle. Nor did she protest afterwords when Konoka dressed her in one of the gothic maid outfits that Evangaline liked. "Now lets get ot of here and go for a walk, there's something I need to show you." the healer said, leading the way dressed in the maid outfit that Setsuna privately thought she looked adorable in.

Neither girl knew they were being watched as they teleported out in the castle's mid morning light. Evangaline smirked her little smirk, they one she wore that could be described as amused. "Mistress is a busy body," deadpaned Chachamaru in her typical monotone voice.

"What was that?!"

"Nothing, mistress."

.....

It was dark out in the academy when Konoka and Setsuna left Evangaline's cabin, which- although she tried to think nothing about it- had an effect of disorienting Konoka. She privately thought that she'd never get used to having several days pass by in Evangaline's private resort, leave on a certain part of the day, than return to the outside world having only a few hours pass and it being totally different part of the day. But for now she put it out of her mind, she had something far more important to focus on.

And so with that mind set she lead the way, grasping Setsuna by the hand fingers interlaced. There were traces of her adorable blush that Konoka found irresistible, but Setsuna was stuttering any of usual protest nor was she trying to escape her grip. Setsuna snaped herself out of her shocked state, and became more aware of her surroundings and began to realize where she was at. "We're near the world tree stage."

That's right, Set-chan."

"I-I don't like it here... I remember all the demons, and than you dying... it hurts."

"Well I guess you didn't notice these signs on the way through last time," Konoka said, gesturing. Setsuna looked up from where she was staring at the ground to where Konoka pointed and saw the large set of stairs that led up into the amplithetre, the very same set of stairs she had rushed up when she had heard Konoka's screams. This time she saw the signs she had passed the first time through. They were all advertising a play entitled 'The Demon And The Princess'. "A p-play?" Setsuna managed to say before collapsing to her knees.

"You're such a scatterbrain, Set-chan," Konoka teased, taking a seat by Setsuna on the stairs.

"I am... but still I learned something from all this," Setsuna responded, smilling. "The thought of lossing you scared me more than anything else in my life, and when I thought you were dead... it made me realize how much a coward I really was how much I regretted not being honest with you. And I know I would regret it if I didn't tell you it now. I love you."

Konoka stared at Setsuna, totally floored... than gigled. "Set-chan, I can't beleive you said that with a straight face."

'So she thought it was a joke,' Setsuna thought to herself, smilling still. 'She sees us as only friends. Thats such a reliefe, at least now I know where I stand with her... but if its such a relief how come it hurts so much?

Suddenly Konoka pulled in close and kissed away a stray tear from her cheek that Setsuna wasn't even aware of, causing her to blush. "Oh, Set-chan you are so adorable you know that? What you said help to clarify to me how I felt for you as well. When you were laying in bed the whole time in Eva-chan's place the only thing I could think of is 'What if Set-chan had strained herself so much that she dies?' That and what you said made me realize if I don't make my feelings clear right now I would regret it. I love you too, Set-chan."

Eyes misting over, the two girls embraced eachother on the large stairs. They stayed like that, content merely to hold onto eachother, for an hour before finally heading to the dorms...

[End]

{Author's notes}  
Finally, the first arc of the fanfic is over. I took quite a few creative liberties here, but they were entirely neccessary in order to tell the story. In any case I hope you enjoyed the story. Like always, please comment on it and pay homeage to Z-Bread's webcomic. Thank you for reading and have a nice day! ^^


	4. Ch 4: Sechan's objective's

The Princess And The Demon

[Disclaimer]

The original web-comic this fan-fic is based off was made by Z Bread (unfortunately it is no longer on , nor does he work on it any more), this fan-fic was written and posted with his permission.

This fan-fiction was written by me without permission of the original writer (Akamatsu-sensei) or it's copyright holders and/or publishers. I own nothing in this story nor have I made any money off of it, so please don't sue me.

This story contains ultra cutesy, sweet shoujo-ai romance and slap stick humor. Don't read if you are offended by such things or if you're a diabetic.

Special PSA from Eva-sama: When reading this fan fiction be sure to do so at a distance from the screen and in a well lit room or I'll turn ya into troll meat!

[Secchan's Objectives]

"_Secchan you're such a scatterbrain."_

It had been a week since Setsuna's beloved friend said those words to her, and a week since the two tearfully admitted their love. But in all that week nothing else really happened, in between them keeping it under wraps and the business of school life. But now with the weekend coming up Setsuna surprised Konoka by asking her out on a date.

It was really quite cute, Konoka recalled laughing to herself. Setsuna had taken her to somewhere private, the roof, and asked her; stammering and blushing while on one knee, much as if she was proposing marriage.

And considering how old fashioned Setsuna was she no doubt asked the headmaster, Konoka's grandfather, and Eishun, Konoka's father, permission to court the Konoe heiress.

"Fufufu... Setchan is really too adorable by half." Konoka said to herself, though she was not complaining in the least. It was one of the sword-woman's most endearing qualities.

Closing her eyes, Konoka laughed some more to herself and thus she did not see anyone approach her as she waited at the station for the academy cable car. "Is there something funny Konochan?"

Opening her eyes Konoka caught sight of Setsuna... who was dressed as a boy. Her line of thinking was all too apparent, she was thinking to obscure her identity in order to help keep their relationship under wraps. So she had on baggy boys clothes that looked to have been borrowed from Kotaro.

Konoka didn't have the heart to tell her that the disguise failed completely. But however it was just too cute and Konoka just couldn't hold it in any longer...

"Bwa! Hahahahahaha!"

"Eh! Konochan why are you laughing so hard?"

After Konoka calmed down and stopped laughing and they had boarded the cable car she had to stiffle more laughter that threatened to raise cause Setsuna just looked so adorable sulking about not being let in on whatever the joke was.

Pouting, Setsuna pulled down her cap over her eyes.

Eventually they came to their stop and Setsuna helped off the cable car, taking her by the hand. It was such a cute gesture, so heart-felt, that Konoka couldn't help blush a little.

Setsuna took a moment after that to look around her, partly because she was checking out the security of the area. It was mostly because she had grown most her life in a more isolated part of Kyoto so a girl like her was and still sometimes surprised by the sheer enormity of Mahora and how many people seemed to live and work in the area.

Konoka didn't know it but Setsuna had an overarching objective with what she believed to be an 'impure' motive on the date.

She called it 'Operation: Secure a kiss with Konochan on this first date or die in trying'... Sure she could have just asked and Konoka would be more than willing to oblige her, but really where was the fun in that?

And lo and behold! Already one of her objectives were presenting itself.

Konoka dragged her immediately to Starbooks, the part bookshop part cafe just by their stop. It sold the milk shakes that she enjoyed so much and to make matters better the shop was presenting some new flavors.

Setsuna got herself some water while Konoka got a milkshake with a really wacky name that the swordsgirl would never be able to recall. Setsuna paid, of course.

Konoka took one taste of the shake and squealed, obviously enjoying it. And then about half way through her shake Konoka offered Setsuna some.

She couldn't believe it, but one of her primary goals was right there in front of her!

'Objective: Indirect Kiss With Konochan'

It was hardly worth getting excited over but she could use the small achievement as a stepping stone to her real objective. Offering a prayer of thanks to whatever deity saw fit to give her such a gift, Setsuna wasn't going to let it go to waste.

She began bringing the shake to her lips, and closed her eyes in contentment... just as her lips were about to close onto the straw sticking out of the shake the unthinkable happened.

Someone bumped into her from behind, based upon how they were laughing just before and the 'oops' after Setsuna judged that they were just playing arround and wasn't paying attention. Whatever the circumstances were it didn't change the fact it caused Setsuna to lose her grip on the shake, sending it on an ill fated journey towards the ground.

Setsuna managed to open her eyes quickly, but she could only helplessly stand by as she watched it fall, almost in slow motion. It crashed, deforming the cup, and spilling the shake.

And in her mind she could see it happen again, the cup crashing into the ground.

And again, crashing into the ground.

And again, crashing into the ground.

And again, crashing into the ground.

'Objective: Failed'

The looping play back finished as the cup stopped rolling around and come to a rest on the ground. After the shock wore off Setsuna could only find one word to voice her despair.

"Whyyyyy?"

Elsewhere, in Evangaline's resort a certain child teacher cocked his head to one side. "Kotaro did you hear something just now?"

It would forever be a mystery on how he thought Kotaro could hear anything with him laying unconscious in a crater he himself made. Next thing Negi knew there was a very irate looking Evangaline hovering overhead, a big spell forming in her hands.

"Don't get distracted boya!"

"Hiiiiiiii!" was Negi's only response he could manage before his world became pain.

Back at the Starbooks Konoka was comforting an obviously distraught Setsuna and the offending party that caused her to drop the shake came forward to apologize.

"I'm really sorry for bumping into you like that. Eh, Konoka?"

As it turned out it was a group of people that Setsuna and Konoka knew from class. It was a group of people known for their gosip spreading tendencies, the cheering squad of 3-A. If they knew that they were on a date with each other... "Who's this you're with? Are you two on a date?"

_This is bad! They'll have it spread around about our relationship before we're ready to tell people about it!_ Setsuna thought in a panic.

Well, luckily they didn't recognize Setsuna yet, she still had her back turned towards them.

"Eh? Eh, er..." was about as good as Setsuna could come up with, floundering helplessly.

Luckily, Konoka was able to do better, "What? No way! This is Sechan's cousin from Kyoto, I'm entertaining him and showing him arround until she can get off of work."

Setsuna finally turned around and, making sure her face was obscured by her baseball cap, bowed to the trio as if meeting them for the first time. "It is a pleasure to meet you," Setsuna said, deepening her voice in an attempt to further fool the trio.

Little did she know that she had unconsciously used feminine pronouns when she was speaking and bowed using the female form of the bow.

Fortunately two of the girls were completely convinced that she was just a feminine guy that had been treated as a girl growing up. They thought it was cute and endearing.

The third, however, came to the right conclusion. _I see, so that's how it is._ Setsuna would feel uncomfortable if anyone knew about the date she was on with Konoka, though it was obvious she was not ashamed of her relationship with her.

Though she realized how little Setsuna knew about how poorly kept a secret it was. There were probably two people in all of Mahora who _didn't_ think they were a couple a long time ago, and if Setsuna did know she'd no doubt be mortified to no end.

Her eyes met with Konoka's and the healer nodded to her ever so slightly. Madoka winked back and gathered her friends after paying for the lost shake.

"Come on guys let's leave 'em be and go karaoke already. You two have fun now."

And with that, Setsuna and Konoka were left alone.

Setsuna really wanted to sigh in relief than further mourn the lost of the indirect kiss with Konoka, but she had a short time to get the date back on track and onto the next objective towards her ultimate goal.

'Objective: Win A Favor From Konochan!'

They wound up at the Encom Arcade Tower, a new and popular gaming arcade that opened in Mahora just last year by a foreigner. There were some retro games towards the back of the crowded arcade, but Setsuna wasn't really interested in those.

The arcade cabinent she was focused on was in front with the newer ones. _Super Extreme Fighting Son-In-Law Alpha/Omega III_ was the name of it. And in preparation of this part of the date Setsuna took in secret some intense training from Evangaline.

_At last, a week's training will finally pay off! I never glimpsed hell as much as I had before this week, and all that over a fighting game. But when I win the favor from Konochan it'll all be worth it! Before the day is out I will have you serve me tea in a cute little maid outfit so you best prepare yourself Konochan!_ thought Setsuna, clenching her fists. Her spirit burst into searing flames as she extended an index finger towards her intended target.

"Alright! I challenge you Konochan to a game! The winner will get to make the loser do whatever they say! Do not think for a moment that my feelings will get in the way, for I won't go easy on you!"

Konoka blinked for a moment at the sudden challenge... and then Setsuna got the sudden feeling that she was forgetting something vitally important when Konoka smiled at her.

"'Whatever the winner says' you say? Okay I accept those terms. Please come at me with everything you have."

At the cabinet Setsuna crouched over the controls and selected her character after inserting her coins, she chose for herself a female butler. And than Konoka assumed a loose stance beside her after pulling on some fingerless gloves on her hands and then grab the joystick... underhanded.

_That stance! It's the same as Evangaline's!_

And then she remembered what she had forgotten. Konoka was good at fighting games. So good in fact that she could fight Evangaline to a stand still.

Setsuna realized her error too late. Konoka's maid character effectively shut her down before Setsuna's butler could do anything, cleaning her health out in pretty much one hit.

"B-b-best two out of three!"

And again it was a massacre, until...

Konoka: 5 victories, Setsuna: 5 humiliating loses

'Objective: Failed'

Setsuna knew when to toss in the towel, besides it was time to move the date along.

Though she couldn't help but fret over the favor she now owed Konoka. She probably wouldn't have her do anything too bad, but it was most likely would be very embarrassing.

_What will it be? This maybe, or that?_ Wondered Setsuna, so incapable of comprehending what Konoka would make her do that it all came out pixalated in her imagination.

She could not afford to worry over it for now it was time for the next objective, her last chance of redemption on the date.

'Objective: Hold Konochan's Hand During A Romantic Movie'

They came to a stop outside the theatre she had in mind. There was a historical drama playing that Setsuna wanted to see, it stared Tsuraga Ren and she heard it was supposed to be really romantic.

Having learned from her last error, Setsuna didn't give Konoka a chance to chose a different movie. Knowing her she would choose the big budget action movie that was playing in 3-D, something that was not in Setsuna's taste.

Maybe next time she treated her to a movie, but right now she wanted a relaxing experience, one where Konoka was not cheering about as she often did during action movies.

A pity she did not bother to read the film's synopsis than, another fatal error on her part.

When they sat in the darkened the theatre and the movie started she almost immediately saw the opening she desired when Konoka griped the arm rest. _Chance! _Setsuna thought, reaching to grasp Konoka's hand with her own.

Just as she was about to grab her hand, Konoka cheered for Tsuraga Ren's character as he fought with an assassin out to kill his master. And it did not end there, every time Setsuna to grasp Konoka's hand some action scene or another would stir her up again.

It was true that the movie had a lot of high drama, but it was every bit as epic as the 'Lord Of The Rings' trilogy that Setsuna was a big fan of, so it had more than enough action sequences to keep Konoka riled up.

'Objective: Failed'

_Konochan, you're too much._ Setsuna thought as she lifelessly turned to ash.

[End Chapter]

Ah, another chapter done. Sorry I had not updated in a while, I really have no excuse for myself. Thanks for reading the story, please be sure to leave a comment.

Authour's notes:

I taken more artistic liberties for this chapter, as I'm doing it more or less from memory since the original web comic is no longer on Deviant Art.

Encom Arcade Tower: Not very obvious, but it's in reference to Tron.

Fighting Son-In-Law: This game series made a number of appearances in various manga and anime, especially 'Negima!', where it was an 8-bit era Tack and field game that _somehow_ involved Zombies. For the purposes of this fan-fic I have made it into a fighting game, patterned after the 'Street Fighter' series. Don't ask me if 'Fighting Son-In-Law' actually exists though, cause I have no idea.

Tsuraga Ren: Should be fairly obvious but he's the main male character in Skip-Beat (though he himself is more or less a side-character). The movie itself was supposed to be a reference to 'Your Kyoko Chan', a fanfic here on the site.

Lord Of The Rings: Extremely obvious but this is a reference to the LoTR series, most specifically the trilogy that was released about 10 years ago (man, has it really been that long?).


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